I often post a list of all the things for which I’m thankful on Thanksgiving. But, in an effort to get back into the habit of daily blogging, I’ve decided to do a post a day for the month of November.

15, 16, 17. Freedom to Write

When I first started writing, 15 years ago, I had a full time job. I got up every morning at 4AM and wrote until 6AM. I didn’t ever work on it at any other time. Saturdays were laundry/housekeeping days, and Sundays were my days of rest.

This week, on Wednesday (the 14th) morning, I had an idea for a new novella. It’s something I want to do special and it had to be done right away if it’s going to happen. So, I put aside the cookbook I was nearly finished writing, and started writing this story.

About three hours into my morning, the program I use to write crashed. I hadn’t yet saved the story, to it was completely gone. I took that as a “hint” and went back to the cookbook and finished it. By then, it was time to get the kids off of the bus.

Thursday, I opened my computer in the morning and started writing. I ignored that I was doing this daily blog post, I ignored the section in the cookbook that really needed attention, and I ignored the two loads of laundry that needed to be folded and just wrote. Friday morning, I showed up at the appointed time and place for jury duty, wasn’t picked to sit on any of the four trials that day, and went to the library to keep working on the story. I wrote and wrote, came home, fed husband and children, shut the door to my office, and wrote and wrote some more.

Saturday morning, I got up at 5AM finished the book by 8AM. In 2 1/2 days, I wrote 35,000 words. My editor and cover page designer are expediting the work for me so that this project can be finished in the time constraints I have.

I’m so thankful for the freedom to do this. I realize it’s a blessing that I’m able to determine my own work schedule, and that I have the freedom during the week to just write. I’ve lived both ways, and I try never to forget what a blessing it is.

Hallee

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